Zakynthos

Zakynthos or Zakynthos, we find it in the archipelago of the Ionian Islands, the southernmost of all its sisters and less than ten nautical miles away from the Peloponnese. Third in size is an island where myth, poetry and nature are a perfect mix for a wonderful holiday in Greece.

Suitable for any type of audience, Zakynthos is literally besieged by visitors every year, especially during the summer season. Families with children will be able to find enchanting places where their little ones can play safely, couples swear eternal love on the peak of a cliff accompanied by a romantic sunset, young people take a trip to remember for a lifetime, in short, for all tastes and for all budgets.

With its surface area of 400 square kilometers it is a true naturalistic paradise of great contrasts. White cliffs that stand out against the sea, high lush mountains covered by woods that descend into the valley, gentle hills, fertile plains, rocky coasts and immense beaches of golden sand bathed by a crystalline sea and a thousand shades of turquoise where the Caretta-Caretta turtles. Its climate is temperate with mild winters and abundant rainfall which contributes to its dense vegetations.

According to Greek mythology, Artemis was born here. Goddess of hunting who loved wandering around the green forests of Zakynthos together with her brother Apollo who preferred to laze around playing the lyre under the laurel plants. According to Homer, the founder of the island was Zakynthos, son of Dardanus, King of Troy, where he built his acropolis.

History of Zakynthos

The first inhabitants of Zakynthos were the Arcadians as early as 1000 BC. It was subsequently conquered by Arkesios, king of Kefalonia and grandfather of Ulysses, who made it prosperous and important in trade and maritime traffic. Under Ulysses he took part in the Trojan War with twelve ships and upon his return Zakynthos had a long period of peace and prosperity. It participated during the classical period in the Persian wars and in the Peloponnesian War when in the 3rd BC it was conquered by the Macedonians and later by the Romans. In 1185 the Venetians arrived, putting an end to the Byzantine dominion which remained there for six centuries. In 1797, after the dissolution of the Venetian Republic, it was subjected to the puppet government of France, becoming the administrative seat of the Ionian Islands. In 1809 it passed under the English flag which brought advantages such as the form of public assistance but, the Maitland government with its tyranny gave rise to the rebellion of the inhabitants until the patriotic secret society Filiki Eteria was founded which was the basis of the insurrection Greek national team which in 1864 proclaimed the union of the entire Hellenic state. The Second World War did not spare it and it was occupied by the Italians and Germans but the resistance faced the new usurpers with all its strength. In 1953 a violent earthquake razed Zakynthos city to the ground but thanks to the government and citizens it was entirely rebuilt.

A holiday in Zakynthos is chosen for the extraordinary beauty that Mother Nature has been able to give to this piece of Greece, for the sea and its postcard beaches (remember that right here is the famous Shipwreck beach, emblem of the Greek islands), for good food and history.

The island was the birthplace of Ugo Foscolo to whom he dedicated an immortal poem and which perfectly represents the soul of Zakynthos.

Don't miss the capital, an elegant city completely rebuilt after the terrible earthquake which almost erased its past traces, but which has been skilfully restored to its splendor. It extends across the entire bay and offers its visitors not only a spectacular sea, but also its Venetian fortress which dominates from the top of the hill where you can enjoy a breathtaking view. Nothing is missing in Zante Town: shops, typical taverns, restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, accommodation facilities, here you can meet any need. Visit the church of San Dioniso dedicated to the patron saint with its enchanting frescoes, Solomos Square, the largest and in the center of the town which owes its name to the Greek poet Dionisos Saloms who wrote the verses of the Greek National Anthem, the Byzantine Museum or the public library, the church of San Nicola del Molo, one of the few buildings that did not collapse during the earthquake or Villa Romas, a 17th century residence previously owned by an English merchant with its Anglo-Saxon atmosphere which was also fortunately spared by the earthquake.

If you want a more "free-range" Zakynthos, you will necessarily have to visit his villages. Bochali just above the capital, the classic mountain village with a few houses and narrow streets that smell of jasmine where you can dine by candlelight while admiring a memorable view, or Volimes among fairy-tale pine forests and overhanging white rocks, and again Mikro Nisi and Agios Nikolaos on the coast small fishing villages where you can enjoy excellent fresh fish and Alykes in an ideal position due to its proximity to the major attractions.

From a naturalistic point of view you will be spoiled for choice. Let's start with the Blue Caves, rock formations smoothed by atmospheric events with the white cliffs that follow one another along the coast where the water has incredible reflections that change based on the sun's rays, the Keri caves with its small tongues of sand nestled between the cliffs where you can relax, the Mizithres two scenic white rocks that magically emerge from the sea, and finally the National Marine Park, a protected area that includes the entire bay of Laganas and the satellite islands of Zakynthos the Strofades and the island of Marathonissi, small lost paradises where turtles come to nest and where Mediterranean monk seals live as well as many species of fauna and flora thanks to its variety of habitats.

The beaches, here is one of the reasons why you decide to come to Zakynthos. There are many, all beautiful and each with its own particularity. The shipwreck beach, an icon of Greece with its immense cliffs and an intensely colored sea with the mythical shipwreck, the beach of Makris Gialos with its Caribbean flavour, the beach of Gerakas with its clay promontory and preferred by prehistoric reptiles for nesting. If you are sporty, however, the fjord of Porto Limnionas is the place for you, you can have fun in some water activities or snorkelling among its caves and its lively marine population.

If, however, you are a "nocturnal animal", the island will know how to make you wake up at dawn or even not even go to sleep. The areas where nightlife is most concentrated are the capital Zante Town and Laganas. Endless streets of clubs with Dante-like aperitifs, celebrations, parties and so on and so forth. In short, you will certainly forget the word boredom.

Here is a small taste of what Zakynthos can offer and there will certainly be more to add but we leave the pleasure of discovery to you.